With the return of the Rugby Sevens and various international events and expositions to Hong Kong, things are perhaps finally looking up for the local economy – networking opportunities included! Although face-to-face meetings are always the preferred medium, COVID has shifted much of the networking landscape to online platforms, and it’s definitely not the same when you are reaching out to someone physically versus through an email. How can we ensure that our emails aren’t sent straight to the recipient’s bin? Join Wordsmith and let’s explore how we can make our networking emails worth the read.
Slick subject lines
As is with any email, the first thing people read is the subject line and the sender’s email address. If your subject line is weak (and if your email address looks suspicious), your email won’t ever see the light of day.
In an earlier article, we covered several elements of a successful subject line, but here’s a quick recap:
· Tone of voice – consider how you want to portray yourself to your target. Have you spoken (or written) to the person before? If not, you’re making a “cold call” and will need to be mindful of your first impression. Consider your wording as well, as a few simple words can change the tone from professional to casual/conversational!
· Subject line directions
o Benefits: What’s in it for the recipient if they connect with you?
o Negative outcome avoidance: What are some potential bad scenarios that your recipient can avoid?
o How-tos: How can you or your service create an ideal scenario for the recipient?
o Scarcity and urgency: Is there a cut-off time or a limited supply involved?
o Commands: A small push in the right direction can be handy for getting specific reactions or actions once you’ve got their attention
However, you can’t determine which subject line will work best unless you do the following…
How well do you know your recipient(s)?
It’s one thing to send a marketing email directed at a series of target audiences, but when you are trying to network, you are likely writing to one or two people at a time. While it is tempting to write a boilerplate email that can be applied to multiple people, doing so can come across as insincere. After all, why should I bother responding to you if it feels like you’re trying to pitch the same thing to everyone else?
According to Forbes contributor Andrew Fennell, “you need to be able to prove to them that you’re reaching out for a valid reason, that you can add value, and that you have something in common… If you don’t know enough about them or their current position, that is going to be much harder.
Use the Internet to your advantage! Google your recipients for a brief background check – learn about their company or the place they work at, visit their social media pages and even LinkedIn page to learn about their interests and opinions.
From there, you can personalise your subject lines and email opening to ensure the right level of resonance!
Small talk, big talk or skip?
Just like striking up a conversation in person, your email should start always with an introduction.
If you remember the Nigerian scam emails that have been in circulation since the Internet boom, these scammers have perfected the formula. They usually begin with a claim that they are of Nigerian royalty (sometimes with the tragic backstory of being persecuted), and they have a stash of wealth that they need to move out of the country. For a “small” bit of help from your end, they are willing to cut you in for a portion of their treasure. The scammers provide minimal amounts of detail in a few short paragraphs, but people still fall for these scams annually. The fact that these scams are still so popular are a testament to how persuasion traces back to conciseness and innate human greed.
Now obviously, you aren’t trying to con your potential business connections when you reach out (or we should hope not), so quick introductions are the way to go. Here are some details to consider:
· Who are you?
· What do you do?
· Why are you reaching out?
· (And if applicable) What common grounds do you have?
“Although you might have lots you want to talk to them about, save this for a follow-up call or meeting,” writes Fennell. “Everyone is busy, and you don’t want to immediately put them off by jumping in with huge rambling paragraphs.”
Always include a call-to-action
Before you send your email, you should definitely check to see if you included a call-to-action (CTA). It could be as simple as “hope to hear from you soon”, “my number is xxxx-xxxx, please give me a call to discuss things further” or even “let’s chat over a coffee sometime”.
Remember, business emails without a CTA are not business emails at all – they’re a waste of time. If the recipient has to initiate the meeting or guess what you want them to do, they won’t feel compelled to connect.
Some extra tips
If you really want to bring your email A-game, consider these pointers:
1. Sign off the email with a customised signature that includes your title, company name and contact methods (phone, email and possibly even social media handles)
2. Play around the recipient’s local time zone – if you send emails when they are awake and at work, you’re more likely to get a reply
3. Don’t overuse the reply function – it’s fine to change the subject line when you have an email chain going. It’ll help you and your recipient for later reference and it’s certainly nicer to look at than “RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE:…”
When doing any form of networking, first impressions are everything. Some might argue that preparing for connections in person to be more important, but we believe having a strong email game is also essential – especially when COVID restrictions are still hanging about. Just think about it like this: if you can master both physical and digital networking, you’ll have two pools of connections to work with!